Vacuum-cleaning-machine attachment



March 10, 1931. W H

VACUUM CLEANING MACHINE ATTACHMENT Filed April 6, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 10, 1931. wRlGHT 1,795,533

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VACUUM CLEANING MACHINE ATTACHMENT Filed April 6, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 IIIIII .Illll vweutozr W WMEHWW" March 1931- H. H. WRIGHT VACUUM CLEANING MACHINE ATTACHMENT Filed April 6, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 awueutoz Patented Mar. 10, 1931 V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY HARLOW WEIGHT, 0}? WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO M. S.

WRIGHT COMPANY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA- CHUSETTS VACUUM-CLEANING-MACHINE ATTACHMENT Application filed April 6,

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in an attachment for vacuum cleaning machines and more particularly to a device adapted to be attached to the nozzle of the vacuum cleaning machine for polishing floors or the like, the principal object of the invention residing in the provision of a rotatable member normally carried by a suitable frame or housing and adapted to be readily attached to or detached from the nozzle of the cleaning machine.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a device of the character described which when connected to the vacuum cleaner will act as a support therefor and aid in the propelling of the machine over the floor thus reducing the labor of the operator.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of means whereby the ordinary suctlon passage in the machine nozzle is closed .to prevent particles accumulated by the polishing element or drawn thereby from being drawn into the bag or receptacle or into the fan housing or casing of the machine.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention consists in the novel details of construction, and arrangement of parts, described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of the invention as they now appear to me, it will be understood that such changes may be made as will fall within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a vacuum cleaning machine with my attachment connected thereto and in position ready for use.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a vacuum cleaning machine with my attachment in position thereon.

Fig. '3 is a bottom plan of my attachment.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental transverse vertical section through the nozzle of the vacuum cleaner with my attachment in position.

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation showing my at- 1926. Serial No. 100,152.

tachment connected to the vacuum cleaning machine nozzle.

Fig. 6 is a detail showing a portion of my improved polishing brush in elevation and a portion of the supporting housing or casing in vertical section.

Fig. 7 is a detail showing a modified form of polishing roller.

Fig.8 is a front elevation showing a vacuum cleaning machine as normally assembled without my attachment; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmental side elevation of the machine illustrated in Fig. 8.

I am well aware that various types of implements have been provided for polishing floors (more particularly waxed floors) but these have necessitated considerable labor in operation and are not adapted for other uses thereby entailing a considerable expense to the purchaser. As an instance of these implements I might refer to the weights which are used for polishing floors such weights being very heavy and requiring considerable labor on the part of the user to push over the floor for polishing purposes. Machines have also been used for polishing purposes but as previously stated such machines can only be used for polishing and therefore when not in use are a total loss and such machines initially cost a considerable sum. My improved form of polishing device is simple and inexpensive in construction and can be very cheaply sold for attachment to a vacuum cleaning machine. Vacuum cleaning machines as now manufactured and sold have a number of attachments for different purposes and my improved form of polishing device ma be included as one of the attachments an very'cheaply sold. At the same time the attachment may be easily connected to or disconnected from the nozzle of the cleaner without undue labor'on the part of the operator.

In the drawings 1 indicates the nozzle, 2 the fan casing, and 3vthe motor housing of the vacuum cleaning machine, the rear end of the motor housing 3 being supported by the wheels 4 as more particularly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Pivotally connected or pulling the machine over the surface and for guiding the same to the desired points. Current is supplied to the electric motor, mounted in the casing 3, by the electric wire 7 which passes through the handle and is connected to the motor by means of the coupling 8. For ordinary cleaning or sweeping a brush 9 is mounted within the nozzle as shown more particularly in Fig. 9 of the drawings and a guard frame 10 is detachably connected to the nozzle as shown more particularly in Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings. This guard frame has runners 10 on the bottom thereof to engage the surface over which the device is operated. The brush is rotated through means of the belt 11 driven from the pulley 12 which is operated from the electric motor within the housing 3. The parts assembled as shown in Figs. 8 and 9 go to make up the ordinary form of vacuum cleaning or suction machine of a construction somewhat similar to that disclosed in Patent No. 1,507,879, dated September 9, 1924 in which the brush is shown readily removable upon removal of the guard frame.

When my improved form of polishing device is to be used the guard frame 10 is removed from the nozzle and the brush 9 removed from the nozzle, the guard frame being normally held in position in a manner to be later described. My polishing device includes a frame made up of the elongated sections 13 connected by the integral portion 14 which spans the space 15 formed between the inner ends of the elongated sections 13. Secured in the outer end of each of the frame sections 13 is a ball bearing 16 as more particularly illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings, said ball bearings being held within the openings in the frame sections by means of the screws 17 or other suitable fastenings. Formed on or secured to the outer face of the front longitudinal edge of the frame, adjacent each end, is a in or projection 18, for a purpose which will be later described, and formed on the outer face of the rear longitudinal edge of the frame are the projections 19 beneath each of which is formed a recess 20. The purposes of these projections and recesses will presently be described.

Rotatably mounted in the end bearings 16 is the shaft 21 on which is mounted the brushes 22 which are longitudinally spaced apart as quite clearly illustrated in the drawings, one of the brushes being received in each of the frame sections 13. The brushes are formed of closely associated tufts of coarse or stiff bristles having sufficient strength not only to polish the floor or other surface but to support the forward end of the vacuum cleaner as shown more particularly in Fig. 1 of the drawings, it being noted that the greatest weightof the cleaner is forwardly of the supporting wheels 4 and this causes the brushes 22 to tightly engage the surface to be polished and, as previously stated, sup port the forward end of the cleaning machine. Secured upon the shaft 21, between the inner ends of the brushes 22, and within the space 15, is the pulley 23 around which will engage the drive belt 11, previously described, for rotating the brush from the electric motor within the housing 3.

It is preferably desirable to provide some closure for the air passages in the nozzle 1 so that wax or other material will not be drawn or thrown into the fan housing 2 or the dust bag, not shown and for this purpose I provide a cover plate 24 for each of the frame sections 13, as more particularly illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, said cover plates being secured to the frame sections by screws or other suitable fasteners and being received within the air passages as more particularly illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 5. When in position, as shown, no material can be drawn through the nozzle for contact with the fan blades or be drawn into the dust bag.

Secured to the forward edge of the nozzle 1, by rivets, screws, or othersuitable fastenlngs, are the plates 25 each of which has an opening adjacent its outer end. When my improved form of polishing device is positioned relative to the nozzle the projections 18 formed on the forward longitudinal edge thereof, will be received in the opening of the plates 25 and the forward edge of the frame of the polishing device supported thereby. For supporting the rear edge of the polishing device frame I provide the clamping plates 26 which are supported by the threaded rods 27 and are held thereon by means of the thumb nuts 28. Coiled springs 29 surround the rods 27 between the outer face of the nozzle 1 and the inner faces of the clamping plates 26 as more clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings and when the thumb nuts are loosened have a tendency to force the clamping plates 26 towards the outer ends of the rods. The lower ends of the clamping plates 26 are adapted to engage the projections 19 on the polishing brush frame, as more particularly illustrated in Figs. 1, 4 and 5, and when the thumb nuts 28 are tightened securely hold the brush frame in. position relative to the nozzle. The recesses 20 receive the ends of the plates which extend over the projections 19 as more particularly illustrated in Fig. 4. It will be understood that the guard frame 10 shown more particularly in Figs. 8 and 9 will be supported in a manner similar to that described for the polishing brush frame. The guard frame 10 has the projections '18 on the forward edge to be received in the openings in the plate 24 and the clamping plates 26 will engage and hold the rear face of the frame as shown more particularly in Fig. 9.

At 29 I have shown the nipple for attaching the ordinary dust bag and when my polishing attachment is in use the dust bag is preferably removed and the opening in the nipple 29' closed by means of the cap 30. This eases up the load on the motor.

From the above it is thought that the detail construction of my attachment will be clearly understood and that it will be seen how it maybe readily' attached to or detached from the nozzle of the ordinary vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaning machine may be operated in the usual manner for sweeping and sucking dust'from the object over which it is moved but when it is desired to polish floors or like surfaces, as previously described, the guard 10 will be detached from the nozzle and the brush 9 removed. With this done the attachment will be connected to the nozzle as previously described and as quite clearly illustrated more particularly in the drawings. The drive belt 11 will be engaged around the pulley 2;) and the shaft 21 will be rotated when the electric motor within the housing 3 is operated. The rotation of the shaft 21 rotates the brushes 22 which, as previously described, are'tightly held in contact with the floor or other surface and the floor or surface will be olished. The greater weight of the machine eing forwardly of the supporting wheels 4 the brushes tightly engage the surface being polished and as the brush is rotated in the direction of the arrows in Figs. 1 and 1 they will have a tendency to pull the machine over the surface and thereby diminish the power required by the operator to move the machine, the brushes therefore not only aid in supporting the forward end of the machine but act as a motive power for drawing the machine over the surface to be polished. It will be understood that wax may be sprinkled on the surface to be polished, if desired, and in order that the wax is not drawn into contact with the suction fan, within the housing 2, and into the dust bag, not shown, the cover plates 24 are provided over each of the brushes. These cover plates 24; close the air passages within the nozzle 1.

At times instead of using a polishing brush it might be desired to use sand paper or similar material and when this is desired the roller shown at 31, Fig. 7, may be mounted upon the shaft 21 instead of the brushes 22.

It will be readily appreciated that my polishing attachment may be very cheaply constructed and sold as an attachment or'as an auxiliary to the ordinary form of vacuum cleaning machines.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1 A polishing attachment for vacuum cleaning machines, adapted to be detachably connected to the nozzle thereof,'said attachment having a portion extending into the nozzle and cutting off suction therethrough.

2. A polishing attachment for vacuum cleaning machines, adapted to be detachably connected to the nozzle thereof, said attachment including a frame, a brush rotatably supported in the frame, and means carried by the frame and extending into the nozzle for cutting off suction therethrough.

3. A polishing attachment for vacuum cleaning machines, adapted to be detachably connected to the nozzle thereof, said attachment including a frame, a brush rotatably supported in the frame, and an arcuateshaped plate carried b the frame and extending into the nozzle or cutting off suction therethrough.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

HENRY HARLOW WRIGHT. 

